Controlevragen

Controlevragen are questions designed to challenge or verify a statement within a discussion. The term is used in Dutch to describe questions intended to control the flow of a conversation by demanding substantiation, precision, or contrast. A controlevraag is typically posed by a moderator, interviewer, or opponent to test the credibility of an assertion or to expose gaps in reasoning. It can involve asking for evidence, requesting concrete examples, demanding clarification of terms, or inviting a comparison with an alternative claim.

In practice, controlevragen are common in journalism, political debates, and education. In interviews, they help to prevent evasive answers and to reveal the basis of a claim. In debates, they serve to allow the audience to judge the strength of a position. In classrooms, they function as checks of understanding and critical thinking.

Characteristics include directness, focus on a single assertion, and a tendency to reveal inconsistencies or assumptions. They can be anticipatory, pressing a respondent to address a point before moving on, and they can be strategic in steering the discussion toward essential issues. However, critics warn that overuse or aggressive controlevragen may polarize discussions or shut down nuanced conversation.

Etymology: from controle (control) and vraag (question).